Rat-trap.



H. HAXTON.

RAT TRAP. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1911.

1,031,442. lPatented July 2', 1912.

me/Wto@ Hosea zraxom floznu,

f citizen of the United HOSEA HAXTON, 0F lSTANFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAT-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent'.

Application tiled July 29, 191'1.

Serial No. 641,270,

To all whom it, may concern:

Be it known that I, HosnA HAx'roN, a v States, residin `at Starford, in the county of Indiana and tate ofV Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rat-Traps, of which the following is a specification. .4 4

The general object `of the invention is to prevent the animal from gaining access to the bait in an electrical rat trap withoutl first closing the electric circuit.

'Other objects will appear anhd be bettei understood fromv the following description taken'in connection with drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of the device artlyin section. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical ongitudinal section o one end portion of the device. e

5` indicates the base plate preferably of porcelain or bther insulating material, and

i may beef any desired dimensions and contour, -accordingto the size of the animals intended to tra ,preference being given to a size of base p ate which will not accidentally tilt.` Y f' 6 indicates the tread plate preferably of metal or other conducting material, the said tread plate being suitably secured to the base plate so as tocompletely cover the upper surace thereof. I

7 indicates thebait holder preferably formed of metal or other conducting material, and insulated from the tread plate 6 by means of the posts or uprights 8 which support the bait holder above the tread plate, the -said post being preferably of wood or other insulating'material, and suitably con'- nected to the baseor tread plates, preference being given to a connection between t-he base plate 5-and the posts 8. y V

19 indicates an electric light socket and 18 the circuit closing'plu carr ing the leads or conductors 20, one o whic connects to a binding post 21 on the tread plate 6, while' the other similarly connects to a binding post 22, connected to the bait holder 7. A guarda has a portion 23 connected to .one end of the-base plate, so as to contact the accomptmyiiig4 with one end of the tread plate the said.

Patented July 2, 1912.

portion 23 curving upwardly and over the bait holder 7.

24 indicates lateral projections associated 'with the portion 23 and which are herein shown as secured to the sides of the base plate 5 and extendin beyond the posts 8.

With this construction, it will be seen that the portion 23 of the animal from gaining access to thebait holder, and in the event of the anirnals'attempt to get at the contents of the. bait hol er. from :eitherside ofpgtliek late 5, the body ofthe animal-will invaria l'y contact with either of the portionsl 24 and also withl 'the bait'holder 7, thus closingv the circuit through its body. If the anima ap roaches Athe bait holder by moving over t e tread plate, the circuit will be closed when the animal places his head in the bait holder and .contacts with the same. r

guard will prevent thev i Although I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the Y specific "arrangement orv construction of the parts, since various changes may be made in the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

la What I claim as new is i vAn electrical tra'p comprising abase plate .of rectangular Vconfiguration and uprights connected to theopposite sides .of said plate at one end thereof, of insulating material, a tread plate of conductirn 'material supported by the base late, a ait holder o conducting material) and comprising a trough having bearing members extending through said uprights and securing the trough in alinement with one ofthe transverse edges of said rectangular base plate, a shield secured 'to the latter mentioned transverse edge and also to the rear faces of said uprights and extending .upwardly in back of said trough member and curving over the top and beyond the front longitudinal edge thereof,

guardssecured to the side faces of said upri hts and to the opposite longitudinal side edgges of said base and associating with the 'I si es ,of Vsaid bait holder and said shield proin the animal from gaining access to the in presence o twovwitnesses..

' noem' HAMON.

lower side edges of said shield for prevent- In testimon whereof ax my signature tecting the rear :ind top portions of sald trough, and an electric circuit including a Witnesses: generator in electrical connection withl the MARY E.. DONABEY, tread plate and bait holder.- Smm ,Hn'rnmi 

